Progressive Breakfast for September 26

The GOP health care bill slated for vote this week is an astounding immoral affront to the American people. It would strip tens of millions of care, and raise costs for millions more. It's so bad, even its authors can only defend it with lies, and it must be stopped.

Tell Lawmakers To Vote NO! On Health Care Repeal

Health care repeal is still moving in the Senate! Stop the GOP’s new plan to end health care for millions before it’s too late. Call your senators NOW at 888-981-9704. Tell them to vote NO! on Cassidy-Graham.

Sen. Bernie Sanders Defends Health Care in Debate

Bernie Sanders lays out case for health care reform in CNN Graham-Cassidy debate. Bustle: “Many who tuned into CNN’s health care debate on Monday night were eager to hear Bernie Sanders in particular speak on the current iteration of the GOP bill authored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy. The Republican lawmakers claim the bill would give states autonomy in choosing how to cover their citizens’ health care. Analysts, however, are remarkably critical of the plan. Among the most vociferous critics of the bill is the independent Vermont lawmaker himself, and Sanders’ best quotes from the Graham-Cassidy debate make his viewpoint loud and clear… The Vermont senator has suggested that universal health care would ‘end the international disgrace of the United States of America, our great nation, being the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care to all of our people.’ Echoing his previous sentiments on health care, Sanders took Monday night’s debate as an opportunity to highlight the problems with the Graham-Cassidy bill and demand universal health care once more.”

Medical, Senior Organizations Denounce GOP Health Bill

200+ organizations denounce profound impact of latest Trumpcare bill. Common Dreams: “As dozens of people with disabilities flooded the U.S. Senate building on Monday to protest the Graham-Cassidy proposal, the Republicans’ latest attempt to dismantle the national healthcare system, a coalition of more than 200 organizations sent a letter to senators opposing the bill. ‘This proposal will eliminate affordable quality healthcare for millions of Americans by gutting the Affordable Care Act (ACA); slash federal funding and destroy Medicaid by turning its funding into per capita caps; eliminate the Medicaid expansion; and defund Planned Parenthood health centers,’ the letter reads. ‘We urge you to oppose passage of the Graham-Cassidy bill,’ it continues, ‘and instead focus on moving forward with bipartisan efforts on market stabilization and other critical issues to improve access to affordable healthcare for all people in the United States.'”

CBO Says Millions to Lose Care Under Graham-Cassidy

CBO: Number of insured ‘reduced by millions’ under GOP health bill. CNN: “The Congressional Budget Office has released a partial score of the GOP’s plan to repeal Obamacare, saying the Graham-Cassidy bill would reduce the budget deficit by at least $133 billion but millions of people would lose comprehensive health insurance. The non-partisan scoring agency estimates that between 2017 and 2026, ‘the legislation would reduce the on-budget deficit by at least $133 billion and result in millions fewer people with comprehensive health insurance that covers high-cost medical events.'”

Trump fixates on NFL protests — while ignoring the disaster in Puerto Rico. Salon: “(Trump) couldn’t spare a moment to address the catastrophe that is unfolding for 3 million American citizens in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Not one word, among his torrent of tweets and press appearances, for what officials are describing as ‘apocalyptic’ conditions. The whole island is still without power, with little hope of repairing it anytime soon. Food is scarce. Dams are breaking and towns are flooding. It is an emergency. It’s possible that Trump doesn’t even know that the people on this devastated island are Americans. It’s probable that if he does know that, he thinks they shouldn’t be. They are all Latinos and most of them speak Spanish, after all, which he thinks disqualifies people from American citizenship. He certainly isn’t giving Puerto Rico the same kind of attention he gave to Texas and Florida when they were hit by hurricanes, and he raced to the scene with Melania by his side to offer solace to the victims. These Americans got one perfunctory tweet last week, most likely written by a staff member.”

Target to Raise Minimum Wage to $15

Target to raise its minimum hourly wage to $15 by the end of 2020. LA Times: “Target Corp. said Monday that it is raising the minimum wage for its workers to $11 an hour starting next month and then to $15 by the end of 2020. The company said the move will help it better recruit and retain top-quality staff and provide a better shopping experience for its customers. The initiative is part of the retailer’s overall strategy, announced this year, to reinvent its business, including remodeling stores, expanding its online services and opening up smaller urban locations. Target quietly raised entry-level hourly wages to $10 last year, from $9 the previous year, following initiatives by Wal-Mart and others to boost wages in a fiercely competitive marketplace. But Target’s hike to $15 an hour far exceeds not only the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour but the hourly base pay at Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, and plenty of its other retail peers whose minimum hourly pay now hovers around $10.”